Garage door lock controls, and the like



June 16, 1959 R. J. MQCULLOUGH, SR 2,890,903

GARAGE DOOR LOCK CONTROLS, AND THE LIKE Filed Fem-9. i954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F"' DOOT PoneL Invenror:

June 16, 1959 R. J. MQCULLOUGH, SR

GARAGE DOOR LOCK CONTROLS, AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 9. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent GARAGE DOOR LOCK CONTROLS, AND THE LIKE Robert J. McCullough, Sin, Harvey, 111.

Application February 9, 1954, Serial No. 409,220

2 Claims. (Cl. 292-48) t This invention relates to improvements in garage door lock controls, and the like. Although the improvements herein disclosed have been devised especiallyto meet the conditions imposed in the opening and control of garage doors it will be understood that said features are also usable for the control of doors of installations other than garages, and I do not intend to limit myself to except as I may do so in the claims to follow.

- The present improvements also relate generally to 'controls for that class or type of door in which the door is moved up and over during the door opening operation, the door executing a turning movement from vertical to substantially horizontal during its rising movement. During the door closing operation a contrary turning movement is executed. The locking is effected when the door panel has reached its completely lowered position and occupies a vertical stand. Usually the side edges of the door are guided by suitable guides during these opening and closing movements, and when the door is closed such guides also retain the door panel against inward movement by pressures exerted against it from the outside.

Locking devices are well known and Widely used at this time for locking the vertically movable doors against upward opening movement. Generally two such locking devices. are provided, one for each side of the door, so that both of them must be released simultaneously to peri rnit door opening.

Devices of this type arealso known which are of the snap type, so that, such locking devices being in their locking positions, the door will snap locked when it reaches its fully closed position.

It is a prime object of the present invention to provide an electric control for the door locking devices so that the releasing of such locking devices may be electrically effected from any convenient control point or station. Such control point may be a push button location inside spring means urging such devices to the locking position, so that when the door is moved to its closed position such devices will then act to snap lock the door in its closed condition. The spring means first mentioned acts against the said locking device spring means or elements, and is of sufiicient power to overcome such locking device spring means elements, so that, when released such first mentioned spring means will overcome the locking their use in connection with garage door installations,

of the garage or at some convenient location within the devices carried by the door are themselves provided with I.

device spring elements, and draw the door carried locks trol device prior to the door closing movement.

2,890,903 Patented June 16, 1959 ice to their released positions. Thereupon the door is fully unlocked, and may be raised for the opening operation, either manually or by suitable door opening spring means, as desired. The first mentioned spring means may be termed the control spring means, and the spring means of the individual locking devices may be termed the lock spring means, for purposes of convenience in terminology.

When the control spring means has functioned to release the locks against the forces of the lock springs, it is evident that the control spring will then retain the locks in their unlocked conditions until the control device is again moved to a cocked or set position. I have provided means to eifect such setting movement of the control device in order to allow the lock springs to move such door locks into their snap locking positions, so that when the door is thereafter moved to its closed position the locks may snap into their door locking conditions, thus locking the door in its closed position. Since the control device includes the control spring means of power sufiicient to overpower the lock springs, it is evident that a suitable catch must be provided to hold the control device in its cocked or set position until the door locks are to be again released or locked. I have provided a catch device for this purpose, and have provided electrical means to release such catch device when the door is to be again unlocked. I have provided manual means to move the control device to its set position above referred to, so that the releasing effect of the control spring may be prevented by setting the con- Then, when the door is moved to its fully closed position the door lock springs may effect their functions of moving the door locks into locking position by a snap locking movement.

It is an important object of my present invention to provide the several elements comprising the entire door locking and controlling assembly of simple forms, and, as far as practicable, from elements which are available at the present time, but with the incorporation in such elements of such modifications as are needed to adapt them to the combination of elements hereinafter to be disclosed. In this connection, it is an object to provide a complete door locking and controlling arrangement which comprises the several elements needed for the actual door locking functions, and for the control functions; and to provide these elements of such construction and relationship to each other that they may be readily attached to and installed for use and operation in garage door installations of largely conventional forms and arrangements.

In connection with the foregoing it is a further feature and object of the invention to so arrange the several parts above referred to that in making the installations the connecting cords or tension elements may be readily brought to exact lengths needed to ensure proper funcspecifications which are local to the installation, but such parts may be made of selected standards of sizes and designs, to meet many different local conditions.

Many presently used garage door and like installations include spring or other counterbalance devices. tending to raise the doors into the fully opened. positions when the door locks are released. Such installations also: frequently include cards or like elements which may be grasped by the operator to draw the door down into its closed and locked position. I contemplate as a further feature of my present invention, and I have herein disclosed, means whereby such cord or like element, thus provided for drawing the door down during the closing 3 operation may also be used to eifect resetting of the locking device elements, so that when the door reaches its fully closed position the locking devices will be in position to snap'lock the door as it finally reaches its fully closed position. Thus a dual purpose is provided, and it is unnecessary for the operator to re-set or cock the snap lock elements ready for the snap locking operation, as a separate operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide locking and control devices of simple construction, and which can be produced according to conventional shop practices at low cost and satisfactory tolerances.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the same, which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows an elevational view of the inside of a typical vertically movable door arrangement, having attached thereto locking and control devices embodying ,the features of my present invention, portions of the door panel being broken away to reduce the width of the figure; and the installation shown in this figure includes a push-button element for enabling release of the control 'device so that the control spring may eifect rocking movement of the lever bar to thereby draw and hold the door locking devices in their unlocked positions, the control device and the door locking devices being shown in their door locked positions in this figure;

Figure 2 shows a face view of a typical door locking device which is normally lock spring moved to its looking condition, and which device is usable in connection with the present disclosures;

Fig. .3 shows a bottom plan view of the device of Figure 2'; the device shown in Figures 2 and 3 being there shown on enlarged scale as compared to their showing in Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a schematic wiring diagram of a typical installation for control of the control device from either of three stations, e.g., one in the garage, one in the house, and possibly one outside of the garage;

.Figure 5 shows, on enlarged scale, a plan or face view of the control device, with the rock arm shown in its cocked or set position, and with the control spring thus .placed under maximum distortion, ready for a door unlocking operation; a portion of the rock arm, and a portion of the base plate being broken away to reduce the size of the figure;

Figure 6 shows a side or face view corresponding to the showing of Figure 5;

Figure 7 shows a bottom end view corresponding to Figures .5 and 6; and this figure also shows the hand knob or button by which the control device is reset or recocked prior to closing the door, thus permitting the spring'operated door catches to snap lock into locking position as the door is brought to its fully closed position;

Figure'8 shows, on still more enlarged scale, a face view of the control device, with the side cover plate removed, so as to show the interior construction of this device,- thelparts being in their normal or unoperated positions;

Figure 9 shows a 'cross section taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows; the parts a and the rockarm has been thus released and has now "moved, under urge of the control spring to the position where the trigger is just ready to disengage from the hook element, after which disengagement the rocking movement will continue to thus release the door lock devices against the forces of their respective springs;

Figure 12 shows a View similar to that of Figure 9, but in the present case the rock arm is being restored manually to its cocked or set position, and the trigger has been moved somewhat beyond the hook element engaging position, to allow the trigger to drop down into position to thereafter engage the hook at completion of the cocking or setting operation;

Figure 13 shows on enlarged scale a side elevation, partly in section, of the rock arm which is connected to the rock shaft of the control device; and this view also shows the light spring which urges the trigger into its hook engaging position; and

Figure 14 shows a cross-section taken on the line 14 -14 of Figure 13; looking in the direction of the'arrows.

In the drawings I have shown a typical embodiment of the features of my present invention, including the use of a form of door lock snap lock of well known design, and including portions of an electrically operated door locking device by which the bolt carried by the conventional type of swinging door may be electrically released without having to withdraw such bolt in the usual manner. I wish to explain that I have shownmy present invention as including such elements of conventional design and construction as portions of my present equipment, largely as a matter of convenience, and as illustrative of elements which may be modified and re-arranged to meet the requirements of the present invention and its functions. However, I do not intend to limit either the use or the protection to be afforded by my present application to such particular elements as so modified, except as I may do so in the claims to follow.

In Figure 1 I have shown a typical vertically movable door panel 20, partly broken away in order to reduce the width of the figure. The door frame elements are shown at 21 and 22. Suitable guides are provided for ensuring up and down movements of thelower edge portion of the door in a substantially vertical path of travel. Suitable means are also provided for drawing the'door up when released, and for permitting lowering movement of the door for closing operations; and also for swinging the upper portion of the door into a substantially horizontal path of travel during the opening movements, so that when the door has been'fully opened it occupies a more or less horizontal position substantially at the elevation of the top of the door opening. Various mechanisms are well known and widely used for effecting such movements and operations, and for these and like reasons I do not deem it necessary to illustrate nor to describe these devices in detail herein, since they do not comprise portions of my present invention. It is, however, to be noted that by locking the lower portion ofthe door panel against upward movement the door is effectively locked in its closed position.

The door locking devices are shown in Figure 1 at 23 and 24 for the two sidesof the door. One such device is shown in some detail in Figures 2 and 3. It includes a bracket element 25, having the horizontal central portion 26'from which depend the end legs 27 and 28. A rock link 29 is pivoted to the lower portion of the leg.28 at the point 30 so that it is free to rock back and forth about a horizontal axis. A bolt element 31 is mounted in facial engagement with this rock link, and said bolt element is pivoted to the rock link at the pivotal point 32 so the right hand portion of this bolt element is compelled to execute a movement such that this pivotal point will follow a circuit are about the pivotal point 30 asthe bolt element is moved back and forth. The left-hand end portion of the bolt element passes through a slotted opening ofv the leg 27 in which the bolt element is free to slide'and to also'execute a swinging movementdu'r'in'g its slidingmovement. A compression spring 33 normally urges the bolt element rightwardly to the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, which is the locking position. The parts are so proportioned and related that when thus projected rightwardly to the full extent permitted by the bracket leg 28 the pivotal point 32 lies almost directly above the pivotal point 30, thus raising the bolt to its highest position as shown in Figure 2. Leftward pull exerted on the bolt element will cause the pivotal point 32 to swing leftwardly and downwardly, as shown by the arrow 34. Thus the extreme right-hand edge portion of the bolt element will be drawn towards the bracket leg 28 to a final position where the right-hand edge of such bolt element is substantially flush with the outer face of such bracket leg. At thesame time, this leftward movement of the bolt element will cause it to swing downwardly, pivoting on the lower end of the slot in the bracket leg 27. These combined movements of the bolt element serve to give its right-hand upper corner a movement somewhat along the path of the arrow 35 in Figure 2. Upon release of the bolt element it will be urged rightwardly by the spring 33 with a movement of the top edge of the right-hand portion of the bolt element upwardly and rightwardly to the final right-hand limited position shown in Figure 2.

It is noted that the right-hand edge portions of the bolt element and of the rock link 29 are formed substantially on circular arcs drawn about the point 32, so that when the bolt element is fully projected rightwardly these two arcs register with each other as shown in Figure 2. This is the normal spring urged position of these edges.

A look abument is provided on each of the door side frame elements 21 and 22 in position for engagement by the bolt element of that side of the door when the door is in its fully lowered and closed position. These abutments are shown at 36 and 37. Each conveniently comprises a section of angle having one leg secured to the face of the door frame element and its other leg projecting horizontally far enough to be engaged by the corresponding bolt element for producing the desired locking function. These abutment elements are thus so located that when the door has been fully lowered the bolt elements may be projected laterallyunderneath such abutment elements, to thus lock the door in its closed position. Any attempt to raise the door will then be resisted by direct upward pressure against the lower faces of the horizontal arms of such abutment elements and since the top face of the lock bar or bolt 31 lies substantially horizontal at such times it is evident that no amount of upward pressure can force the door open, exceptby destruction of the parts.

It is also noted that as the door is moved downwardly during a closing operation the curved right-hand edges of the bolt element and of the rock link 29 will engage against the proximate edge .of the horizontal arm of the abutment element, thus causing the bolt element to be pressed. inwardly against the urge of its spring 33 until finally the door closed position is attained, whereupon the bolt element will be projected suddenly into its door lock- .ing position under the urge of its spring 33. Thus a snap locking operation is effected during the door closing move ment., This will be referred to later hereinafter in connection with the operation of the control element.

Evidently, when the door is to be unlocked both of the bolts 31 for the two locking devices 25 must be drawn inwardly and be thus retained at least long enough to enable the door to be raised. However, I have made provision for latching the bolts in their unlocked positions until purposely released by the operator. This means includes a control device designated in its entirety by the numeral 38. This device is shown in detail in Figures 5 to 14, presently to be described. It is here noted that said device includes the rock shaft 39 which extends normal to the plane of the door panel, and to which rock shaft there is secured the'cross-bar 40 which extends in both directions from 6 such rock shaft. A stiff spring normally urges the rock shaft to rock in counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1; and a hand grip element 41 is carried by the cross-bar in position for convenient manipulation by the operator to reset he device when desired. Such resetting comprises rocking the shaft 39 clockwise against the force of the spring just previously referred to, to thus restore the cross-bar to its original position; and the device 38 includes latching means to then latch or set or cook the device in such position. The device 38 also includes electrical means to release such latching element when it is desired to cause the door lock bolts 31 to be withdrawn in order to again unlock the door. All of these elements will be fully disclosed hereinafter.

The two extensions of the cross-bar are connected to the lock bolts 3110f the two door locking devices 23 and 24- by tension members 42 and 43, respectively, such connections to the two cross-bar extensions being made at equal. distances from the axis of rock so that as the rock shaft is rocked both of the tension members are moved by equal amounts. Since these two tension members are connected to the cross-bar at opposite diametral positions it follows that pulls are exerted from both directions, thus drawing both of the bolts toward the center of the door. It is also now noted that both of the tension members are so connected to their lock bolts that when the rock shaft has been rocked over to its unlatched position by the urge of the control spring presently to be described, both of the lock bolts are completely freed from engagement with their respective abutments 36 and 3'7, thus fully unlocking the door. It is also to be noted that when the rock shaft is again latched by the manual operation, using the hand grip 41, both of the lock bolts are permitted to project outwardly under the urges of their respective springs 33 preparatory to another snap locking operation when the door is sufiiciently lowered. This snap locking operation involves the momentary inwardly forced movement of each lock bolt by engagement of its curved edge with the horizontal arm of the abutment member, followed by an outward snap of the lock bolt as the upper edge of such bolt comes into releasing position with respect to such abutment. These back and forth movements of the lock bolts are freely permitted at such time, since the tension members comprise cords or other elements and connections suitable to allow such effects to be produced; and since, at such time, the rock shaft 39 and the cross-bar 40 remain in their cooked or latched position already referred to.

It must be here noted that the control spring presently to be described is strong enough to overpower both of the bolt springs 33, since such bolt springs must be compressed in order to eifect movement of the lock bolts to their unlocked positions, which operation is initiated by the unlatching of the rock shaft, as will soon appear.

Reference is now made to Figures 5 to 14 which show a typical form of the control device 38 which has been thus far discussed. This control device conveniently includes the base plate 44 which may be connected and attached to the door panel in any convenient manner. In the arrangement shown such connection includes the two laterally extending brackets 45 and 46 (see Figure 1) which are connected to the base plate and reach over and are connected to the vertical frame element or reinforcing element 47 comprising. a portion of the .door. Near one end this base plate carries the outwardly reaching spacer and supporting bars 48 and 49 which in turn carry the plate 50. Another plate 51 is located slightly further out from the base plate 44 than the plate 5%, these two plates overlapping slightly as shown in Figure 6. A spacerand supporting bar 52 secures one end of the plate 51 to the base plate; and a spacer washer or the like.53 is located between the overlapping portions of the plates 50 and '51, and a stud is extended through both of said plates and through such washer to thus firmly support the plate 51 to the plate 50 at intended spacing.

j The rock shaft. 39 extends through the plate 50, and finds hearing at 54 in such plate. The lower end of this rock shaft also finds hearing at 55 in the base plate 44, such bearing comprising preferably a form of step-bearing. The cross-bar 44B is carried by the rock shaft at a location between the plates 44 and 50. Such cross-bar is free to execute its needed amounts of rock without interference from the bars 48 and 49, as will be evident from examination of Figure in particular. An ample spring 56 surrounds the rock shaft, having its end 57 secured to the rock shaft and its other end 58 anchored to the bar 48 by provision of the hook as shown in Figure 5. This spring is conveniently shown as a spiral spring, and it is of sufficient strength to overcome the two lock bolt springs 33 as already explained.

The upper end of the rock shaft carries a rock arm 59 which is at an, elevation such that it can swing back and forth over the plate 50. The free end of this rock arm carries a short sleeve 59 freely journalled on the rock arm. This sleeve is permitted a limited amount of rock on the rock arm, a pin 60 secured to the rock arm extending out through a slot 61 of the sleeve. This slot is of such arcuate length as to limit rock of the sleeve to the degree required for the desired function to be performed by the. sleeve.

The sleeve 59 \carries a downwardly extending lug 62 which may engage with a latch hook 63 located beneath the sleeve and which latch hook extends down from the elevation of the plate 51. This sleeve 59 and the lug 62 comprise a trigger element. This latch hook comprises a first latch element. It is normally retained in the vertical position shown in Figures 9 and 12, in which position it serves to prevent leftward movement of the lug 62 in Figure 9. Under these conditions the lug 62 is retained against leftward movement, thus also preventing the rock arm 59 from rocking counterclockwise in Figures ,1 and 5; but by releasing the hook 63 in manner presently to be disclosed, the rock arm may be forced leftwardly under urge of the control spring 56, thus releasing the device to withdraw the door lock bolts and thus unlock the door. Provision is made for promptly restoring the hook 63 to its vertical position of Figures 9 and 12 after the lug 62 has thus passed to the left, so that said hook is then in its normal position ready to again serve as a means to hold the lug 62 against leftward movement until another releasing operation occurs. But it will be noted that under these conditions the restoring movement of the lug 62 to the right-hand side of the hook 63 cannot occur without permitting a special rock of the sleeve 59* and the lug 62 to occur. Such rock is permitted by the slot 61 of the sleeve; and in Figure 12 I have shown the lug 62 as having encountered the lefthand face of the hook 63 during the restoring movement of the rock arm, and have shown how, by further rightengagement of the lug 62 the face of thehook 63'; that release of such hook allows the lug to move to the left, thus enabling the spring .56 to perform its function of unlocking the lock bolts; and that restoration of the rock shaft again produces distortion of the spring 56 and brings the lug back to its latching engagement with the face of the hook 63. Such restoring movement is eifected by manual operation, using the hand grip 41 carried by the cross-bar 40. Thus the work needed to effect the subsequent unlocking operation is delivered manually to the spring 56. It is also seen that provision must be made for normally holdingthe hook 63 in its vertical facial position of Figures 9 and 12, and for permitting movement of such hook to a position such as that of Figure 11 to allow release of the lug and consequent effective application of the force of the spring 56 to unlock the lock bolts, and for restoration of the hook 63 to its normal vertical facial position thereafter. To eifect these and other functions use may be made of any convenient means; but in the figures I have shown one embodiment in which use is made of a conventional form of electrically controlled door lock bolt engaging striker plate or element whereby the desired functions herein disclosed may be obtained; but the device now to be disclosed has been modified to meet certain requirements of the present problem and combination.

The control device is contained within a housing comprising the face plate 65 which is integral with the boxlike section depending from such face plate. This boxlike section includes the back wall 66, the ends 67 and 68, and the floor 69. The removable front plate 70 is provided for completing the housing enclosure. The latch hook 63 comprises a portion of a latch element 71 pivoted on the horizontal axis between the bearings 72 and 73. This element 71 may be termed a second latch element. The tail 74 depends from this latch hook element and engages with the latch retainer element 75. This element 75 may be termed a third latch element. This latch retainer element is pivoted on the horizontal axis between the bearings 76 and 77, and is provided with the shallow pocket 78 into which the tail depends and which pocket serves to either prevent the tail from swinging forwardly to release the hook element, or, when the retainer element is released, permits the tail to rock forwardly corresponding to a backward rock of the hook 63 for release of the rock arm 59. This retainer element includes the upstanding finger 79 the upper end of which is provided with the hardened insert 80. It will be seen that as long as this finger 79 is retained against forward rock by blocking the insert 80 the tail 74 of the-hook element will be retained against forward movement, and thus the hook element will be retained in its vertical position for locking the ing 62 against leftward movement. However, by releasing the insert 80 the force exerted against the hook face by pressure of the lug 62 will serve to rock the retainer element from the position of Figure 9 to that of Figure 11, thus releasing the hook element for leftward movement of the lug 62 and corresponding releasing of the rock arm, the rock shaft, and other elements when viewed as in Figures 12 and 14, so that as soon as the lug has passed the top of the hook 63 there is certainty that the lug will come into its vertical position for engagement against the right-hand face of the hook. It is noted that during this restoring movement there must be a slight over-ride towards the right after which the rock arm and the rock shaft may be allowed to move leftwardly slighfly to bring the lug into engagement with the face of the hook.

It is now pointed out that the urge of the spring 56 is to rock the shaft 39 counterclockwise (when viewed from above), but that such rock is normally resisted by the in manner already explained.

Located within the housing of the control device, and at one side of the elements just described, are thetwo solenoids 81 and 82 whose lower ends are magnetically connected together, and whose magnetic poles are thus developed at their upper ends. The armature element 83 is pivoted at the point 84 in position to be influenced by the energization and de-energization of the solenoids; and a light spring 85 normally holds the armature in the position shown in Figure 8. In that position the left-hand end however, such interference with the rock of the finger 79 is discontinued, and, under the force produced'by the '9 spring 56 the parts willbe moved into the releasing positron long enough to permit release of the lug 62 in manner already explained.

l A compression spring 86 acts between the plate 70 and the tail portion 74 of the hook element, and urges the hook element into its normal vertical position of Figure 9. This spring is overpowered by the spring 56 during the releasing operation, but as soon asthe lug 62 of the rock arm has moved past the hook element during the releasing operation, the spring 86 will act to restore the hook element, the retainer element 75, and the finger 79 to their normal positions of Figures 9 and 10. They are then ready to again receive the lug 62 into the locking position of Figure 9 when the parts are manually re-set in manner already explained.

The control unit may be readily attached to the face of the door in position for convenient operation of the hand grip 41. It remains to show how the necessary electrical connections may be made to the solenoids 81 and 82. Reference may be made to Figure 4 as illustrative of a simple electrical installation. Conveniently a small transformer 87 is attached to the face of the door to provide low voltage and higher amperage current for the solenoids. The secondary of this transformer, 88, is connected directly to the solenoids by the leads 89 and 90. The primary 91 has one end connected by the lead 92 to the source of A.C., such as the house lighting system. The other end of the transformer primary is connected by the lead 93 to the source of current supply, but the push button 94 is included in this lead, such push button being normally open and closed only when intentionally depressed. If desired other push buttons such as 94, 94 etc., may also be included in parallel with the push button 94, so that control of the door releasing operations may be effected from a number of locations, if so desired. I have already referred to this fact. The leads 92 and 93 should include flexible sections of such nature as to allow for the door movements without need of corresponding movement of the push button or push buttons, since these latter will usually be installed on stationary elements, such as the door frame, or more remote locations of the house or garage.

Frequently as cord or other like element is provided in connection with the door panel so that by pulling on such cord the door panel may be lowered against springs or other resistance to close the door and cause the locks to engage for the locking operation. The use of such a cord is very customary in connection with those installations in which spring counter-balance devices are provided which urge the door to rise when it is unlocked. In such cases the door closing operation is performed merely by pulling the door panel down against such countetbalancin-g springs by use of such cord. Since the re-setting of the rock shaft 39, accompanied by clockwise swing of the cross-bar 40 and release of tension in the elements 42 and 43, and setting or cocking of the control device is to be effected prior to complete movement of the door panel to its locking position, I have availed myself of the presence of such a pull cord as previously referred to for not only drawing the door panel down into its closed position, but for also rocking the rock shaft and connected parts into their set or cooked position. Accordingly, in Figure 1 I have shown the flexible cord 95 connected to the lower portion of the crossbar 40, as by connecting said cord to the hand-grip 41, although in such an installation such hand grip would not be needed, and the cord connection might well be made directly to the lower end of the cross-bar 40, as by passing such cord through a hole in such cross-bar. The cord is then carried through an eyelet or if desired, a pulley 96 on the door panel, the free end of the cord being, if desired, provided with a convenient hand grip 97 by which it may be readily grasped by the operator. When the door is in its raised and open position this cord will "to hang down far enough for convenient grasping by the operator. Upon then pulling the cord for the door lowering operation the cross-bar 40 will be rocked clockwise against the force of the control spring, thus setting or cocking the device; and at the same time the door will be pulled down for the closing operation. Thus, a single operation of the operator will serve to draw the door down towards and finally to the locking position, and the control device will be re-set or cocked to condition such that the snap locking may occur as the door finally moves to its fully closed and locking position.

It is to be noted that when this dual purpose cord ar rangement is used, the relative spring effects of the door spring which tends to raise the door, and of the control spring 56 of the control device, should be such that there will he assurance that the amount of pull needed to effect door movement against the door springs will overpower the spring resistance of the control spring 56; otherwise the desired setting or cocking operation will not be produced. Such desired relationship of eflfects may be ensured by connecting the cord to the cross-bar 40 at such a radius from the axis of rock of the rock shaft 39 as to ensure the re-setting or cocking of the device against the force of the spring 56 during the door closing movement. To this end Ihave shown the crossbar as being provided with a number of holes 97 located at successive radii from the axis of rock, so that, if need he, the cord may be connected to a larger radius positioned hole in order to ensure that the amount of pull needed. to cause downward door movement against the door springs will develop a sufficient torque on the rock shaft 39 to cause resetting to occur against the resistance of the spring 56, and prior to the closing movement of the door.

I claim:

1. In a locking means for a door or the like, control means for the locking means comprising a supporting base plate, a rock shaft journalled normal to said base plate, a spiral spring encircling the shaft, an anchor connection between one end of the spiral spring and the base plate, a drive connection between the other end of the spring and the shaft, a rock arm connected to the free end of the rock shaft and rockable in a plane substantially parallel to the base plate, a trigger rockably mounted on the free end of the rock arm, spring means on the rock arm having one end connected to the rock arm and its other end connected to the trigger and urging the trigger to rock in one direction on the rock arm, a stop on the rock arm, a part on the trigger adapted to engage said stop to limit rocking of the trigger in said direction, a rockable first latch element, means to journal said first latch element to rock about an axis lying within a plane substantially parallel to the base plate and lying between the plane of the base plate and the plane of rocking of the rock arm, said first latch element including a part movable into position to interfere with trigger travel with the rock arm during rocking of the rock shaft under urge of the spiral spring aforesaid when said trigger is in its limited rocked position aforesaid, first latch spring means in connection with the first latch element urging rocking of said first latch element in direction to move said first latch element into position to interfere with said movement of the trigger, means to limit rocking of the first latch element at said interfering position, the engagement of the trigger with the first latch element acting to produce rocking of the first latch element against urge of the first latch spring means, a second latch element, a movable mount for said second latch element, cooperating parts on the first and second latch elements, said cooperating parts being formed for latching of the first latch element in the position of limited rocking of said first latch element under urge of the first latch spring means, third latch means engageable with the second latch ineans, a niovable mounting fdrsaid thii'd latch means jRefei'e ic'es'Ci'ted in thefile bf this patent agd'eleqlrical'means to release the'fihird latch means. UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2. The structuredefined 1nclalm 1, together wlth a 1,199,199 N I Mason "La"; Sept. 26

in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the base 5 plate, a locking device, and a tension element connectcross bar connected to the rock shaft and rockable with- 2,238,266 Johnson "fig-""; Apr. 1 15" 19641 a f FOREIGN PATENTS I ing the lever arm to sa idlockingdevice. 177,194 Switzerland Aug; 

